Rethinking Walking

Walking is a simple and easy way to add physical activity to daily schedules and since it’s free, it’s available to everybody. Since the first edition of the ACSM American Fitness Index® data report, ACSM has recognized the importance of walking for a healthy lifestyle.

While the Fitness Index has always taken the number of people who walk to work as part of its methodology, it hasn’t considered walking trips to amenities such as grocery stores, shops and school.

New Walk Score® Ranking Indicator

For the latest edition of the data report, ACSM added a new walking indicator: Walk Score® rankings. Walk Score uses a point-based system to measure the walkability of a neighborhood.

Multiple studies show that people living in walkable neighborhoods and cities are more likely to reach the recommended amount of physical activity because they can travel by foot to work, shop, eat, play or pray.

Most Walkable Cities

According to the latest report from Walk Score, the top five cities for walking are:

1. New York
2. San Francisco
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. Miami

Washington D.C., which finished first in the 2014 data report, has the seventh best Walk Score ranking. Learn your neighborhood’s Walk Score® ranking at WalkScore.com.

Every Body Walk!

ACSM is also working with Kaiser Permanente to drive awareness of the Every Body Walk! 30 Minutes to Better Health initiative to clinicians and other health professionals. Every Body Walk! is a campaign aimed at getting more Americans up and moving. To learn more visit everybodywalk.org.

 

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